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The nerves that were severed in your stomach have finally knitted back together. This is why you feel the full restriction now. Mine was about 4 months too. I still have a big restriction {whoop whoop } so I have 5 or 6 tiny meals a day. Otherwise my calories are too low to keep up with my busy new life

Try adding an electrolyte drink to your fluid rota. The boost of energy will help with the shakiness. it’s likely caused by the restricted diet & low calories. I had it a lot & still have episodes of it. For me it’s hypoglycaemia. I pop blue berries now if I feel an episode coming on. Plus I had low blood pressure (always has a tendency to it) so I was shaky, light headed, losing vision & generally woopsy wooing every day. It got better once I was eating more & a wider variety of foods. Also try Biotene mouth moisturising spray for your dry mouth. Sorry your surgeon isn’t being helpful. May be approach your GP & ask if hypoglycaemia could be a cause or what other things could be behind it & what could you do to alleviate it.

Any change for health is positive and eating well is about loving and respecting you. Have the op helps you gain that confidence and change your association with food. Biggest word of advice dont take empty calories in, if it doesn't fuel your body leave it be. If you are eating out of emotional need continue seeing someone to deal with that relationship with food. After surgery you views on food will start to change. Take one step at a time and be kind to yourself. I had my sleeve 13 yr ago and havent kept all my weight off and going for another surgury to help and fix a couple other things. However I can tell you my relationshop food is very different today to what it was when I started and it is better now. Remember this is your journey and this will help you in many ways but you need to allow yourself to explore them all don't bury how you feel, face it and deal with it. You want change and only yoy can make it happen and you will be happy you did it. Live life. Sent from my SM-A515F using BariatricPal mobile app

Day 4...no paint chips yet...LOL. Just very tired from the calorie deficit I guess. Cold too...tired and cold.

Hello LivDee, I had a gastric sleeve 13 years ago, and yes I tested the water on what I could eat or not eat. I lost nearly 50kg and then put half back on simply by drinking alcohol. I stopped drinking and went on to have a baby who is healthy and now nearly 8. I can tell you that even though you stomach may stretch it wont stretch to what it was before and I am still now restricted as to the amount I can eat. In most cases an entree size meal. It is also dependant on a few factors, the more protien in a meal the less I can eat, there are also foods i dont digest well. It is really important to always chew your food really well. I was 142kg when I had the sleeve done and today sit at 114.9kg. I had made it to 92kg but when I added stupid calories like alcohol and sugar it will catch up and you can still put on weight. But the good thing is you can continue to loose weight but it does get a little harder with cravings when you expand you tummy. The other thing if you haven't adressed it and I say this everyone starting this journey, look at your relationship with food and recognise always why and what you put in you mouth. My relationship with food has changed but it has been a journey and not the prettiest one but I can recognise and analyse and make change more easily now than before. I still have a way to go and will be going in for a sasi and to get my hernia fixed, but my headspace is even better today. I guess in otherwords take it easy try and follow what the Team tells you and be kind. Each day is a new adventure and take this as a jouney of empowerment and discovery about you. This really will change you so don't be scared to seek counselling if you need to as new situations will come forth that you have not dealt with and this can make you want take in the wrong things. As for after op eating follow the stages while your stomach is healing if you eat too much it can damage it. Its also great you are recognising what you feel is different and asking questions because that is how you get to know more about the new you. Keep going you got this. Best regards Sent from my SM-A515F using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you for this advice! It makes me feel a lot better. And I’m not sure if I ate that many extra calories. It seems a bit hard to believe considering my stomach still is not normal size yet. But it was my husbands birthday week so I did enjoy myself… nonetheless I’m back on track this week with going to they gym 4 days a week and watching what I eat. side note: I also have PCOS which is one of the main reasons I got the surgery. If you don’t know what that is long story short it’s a form of insulin resistance. Basically makes it hard to lose and easy to gain. So maybe that’s part of why I gained so quickly?? I’m not sure just guessing. It seems to be under control now that I’ve lost so much weight. But maybe that’s just what I think and it’s not under control after all. but despite all of this I’ll try to stay positive and do my best! An exciting thing is after April me and the husband will be trying for kids so that’s a something that keeps me motivated! Haven’t been successful in the past so I’m hoping this time around is different.

We all lose at our own rate & no rate is right or wrong. But your loss so far is not a slow weight loss. It’s around what many of us lose that first month. Not sure what weight you started at, but unless you weighed in excess of 600lbs (like on the tv show) you are not going to lose large amounts of weight to begin (& even their rate of loss slows as they get smaller). And stalls are very common & almost everyone experiences them. Does your surgeon say you are losing slowly? Are they concerned? Maybe speak with your dietician to review your food choices & calories. But remember you are early out & your body is still healing. Your restricted diet is to support your healing & yes it can limit aspects of your lifestyle to begin. You will be eating more & a wider variety of food in a few weeks. I didn’t feel like I was missing out while I was losing. I went to a 60 birthday 2 weeks after surgery (took my own shake & sipped that), a 40th 6 weeks after surgery, reunions, social gatherings, dinners at restaurants, children’s birthdays, sporting events, travelled, etc. I just made careful food choices. I lost all my weight & more & have maintained +/- a kilo or two (am almost 4 years post surgery). I’ve never been able to do that. My lifestyle still isn’t compromised by how I chose to eat now. Exercise only contributes to about 10% of any weight you want to lose. Want to lose 50lbs, exercising will contribute to 5lbs of that. Of course there are many other benefits to exercising. Personally I didn’t exercise. Got on my treadmill a couple of times but was so tired I almost fell, off it so never got back on. Even now all I do is some stretches, a few resistance band exercises & some sit ups. I wouldn’t burn 30 calories.

An extended and dramatic calorie deficit, common in early post-op, can also be part of the problem. Good luck, Tek

I had terrible problems drinking and eating enough in the first month. Lots of people do. Its huge surgery. Remember, shakes water, broth, soup and tea all add to your liquids. Don't doubt the process, it works. Have you tried tracking your calories to prove to yourself how little your calorie count is?

P.S. weight loss does slow down a lot the further out you get from surgery. After i hit the year mark, my weight loss slowed down to a crawl - some months I'd lose like a whopping 2 lbs. But I kept at it, and it did eventually come off. The issue is, the smaller you get, the fewer calories your body needs to function. If at your previous weight your body required say, 3000 kcal/day to function, and you were only eating 1000, you're going to lose weight fairly quickly. But if at a lesser weight it only takes 1600 to maintain that weight and you're eating 1000, you're still going to lose weight, but it's going to come off slower.

to gain 4.6 lbs in a week, you would have had to have eaten 16,100 extra calories - that is, calories above and beyond what your body needs. So unless you've eaten that many extra calories this week, then the "gain" is likely due to water retention or very full intestines. In either case, it should be gone in a couple of days. and yes - you do have to monitor your food intake for life, unfortunately. I gradually put on 10 lbs over the course of a year because I wasn't monitoring myself as closely as I usually do. Working on taking that off now (have lost 7 lbs of it it so far - YAY!). This is a lifelong battle.

For those getting ready for your surgery (YAY!) I just wanted to pop in with my experience (I am 2 weeks post op tomorrow). I see a lof of 'problems' and sometimes I think its easy for us to talk about negative or 'not great' things trying to help others, but then it makes it seem like everyone has those issues, when im not sure thats the case. For ME.... no nausea. not once. no vomiting. no tiredness. no dizziness. I did have more pain than i expected, but it lasted less than a week. Food wise.... I am eating around 700-800 calories a day. hitting protein goals on puree/ semi soft diet. Struggling to get in enough water, but doing my best. Not back at the gym yet but thinking probably next week, based on how i feel (obviously no weights yet lol). My tastes in foods have not changed at all. I have not had any bad reactions to any foods. All in all.... sometimes i wonder if i HAD surgery, aside from I can't eat much at a time. But, really.... I kind of think thats ideal LOL I haven't lost much weight yet but I remind myself that my body is still healing, With a (relatively) low BMI, I will lose slower anyway, and the slower you lose, the less loose skin you have. so.... #perspective All of yall are amazing and strong! ...............................

oh sweetheart..... the surgery has NOT failed, I PROMISE! put ALL the scales away. old ones. new ones (which by the way, those things are not as accurate as they would like you to think). Lets look at this from a SIMPLE SCIENCE AND MATH viewpoint, okay? Lets say you are eating 700 calories a day. That is not MAINTENANCE for ANYONE. Not even my 5' self who has a below average metabolism. Add on to that, our bodies are retaining water and hoarding fluids, to HEAL our bodies. We had MAJOR SURGERY, even if it doesnt look or feel like it. That takes WEEKS AND WEEKS to heal. Theres a reason we are on exercise and lifting restrictions as long as we are. So we can HEAL. That healing takes a lot of water and a lot of our bodies energy. Add on to that, depending on your age, you may be holding on to water due to your cycle. Hormones, which go all kinds of out of whack with surgery, also can make us hold on to weight. Think about it this way... No one who went into concentration camps came out big. not even average. not even thin. Right? Our bodies WILL FIGHT to hold on to weight as long as they can. its life support at its most basic. but it can only do that so long. I know it is hard. I am in a very similar spot to you. I too, and looking at the scale not moving and sticking my tongue out at it. But heres the thing.... it WILL move. BE PATIENT. FOLLOW YOUR PLAN. Get in as much water and protein as you can. move move move. and know it WILL come off. We are BOTH doing everything right... and it WILL come off. ((((hugs))))

It depends a lot on your situation. I chose the sleeve because I don’t have as much weight to lose and didn’t want the risk of dumping. I also still hope to have kids, and the sleeve is favorable for that. Part of why the bypass is recommended for those with a higher BMI is because of the malabsorptive factor. It’s not a “bad” thing it’s simply one of the facts about the surgery. The body has less time to absorb and use the calories consumed. There are definitely pros and cons to both surgeries, so discuss with your surgeon what would be best for you.

Welcome! You have some very good questions, and the fact that you are thinking about these things is great. Weight loss surgery isn't for everyone, and I think it's really important to make the decision with your eyes wide open and be prepared for the good, the bad, and the ugly. This forum is a great place to read about other people's experiences with WLS so you can know what to expect. Pay particular attention to catwoman7's posts -- she is a great example of a WLS success story, who lost all of her excess weight and has kept it off long-term (and she is a true bariatric guru with lots of excellent advice and insight). Just about all of us have had many failed weight loss attempts in the past. Most insurance companies require evidence of failed weight loss attempts before they'll pay for surgery, because surgery is a pretty drastic solution and few people would want to go through it if they could lose and maintain weight loss without surgery. But many of us who have failed so many times before have been successful with WLS. It is true that some people gain back some or all of the weight (or don't lose as much weight as they need to) after WLS because, as you've figured out, WLS isn't magic. It still takes a lot of work and commitment and (as much as I hate the term) lifestyle changes. I get the impression that in the early years of WLS, the emphasis was on the restriction (and, to some extent, malabsorption) of surgery -- the physical limitations that made it impossible to overeat and/or that made the patient ill from eating too much fat or sugar. Patients mainly relied on eating smaller quantities to lose weight. This works in the short term, but the restriction loosens up over time (so you can eventually eat more in one sitting), and if you continue eating high-calorie foods and/or get in the habit of eating around your surgery by eating smaller portions more frequently, you can easily increase your calorie consumption back to the point of regaining weight. For me (and many others), WLS made the initial weight loss much easier than dieting alone because I had no hunger for several months after surgery, but I do get hungry now and it's a challenge to stick to my plan. I think that these days, most WLS clinics have a more comprehensive approach and provide more guidance on dietary changes. After WLS, you pretty much reboot your eating patterns, almost like a baby. You go back to consuming only liquids, then pureed and mushy foods, and tiny bites of soft foods before you get back to eating like an adult. I think this process is the turning point for your long-term path after WLS. You can either take advantage of this opportunity to get into good habits of eating nutritious food, or you can get back into your old eating habits once you are physically able to eat normal foods again (which can ultimately lead to regain). As far as how WLS affects mental health, that is very dependent on the individual and not necessarily predictable. I think it's safe to say that most people's mental health benefits greatly from weight loss because living with obesity is incredibly difficult, but of course there are instances of unexpected negative results. If you have a history of mental health issues, that's something to discuss with your provider as part of your decision (and most insurance companies and clinics require a psychological consultation to make sure you are mentally/emotionally prepared for surgery). I did my surgery completely alone. I'm 2.5 years post-op and haven't told any family, friends, or coworkers about my surgery. I live alone and had no help after my surgery. I was fortunate to have a pretty easy recovery, so I had no problems taking care of myself (although I later developed bradycardia due to the rapid weight loss and had to get a pacemaker). In a way, I think living alone makes the post-op life easier because I have complete control over the food purchasing and preparation in my house. I simply don't buy foods that don't fit in my plan, so it is easy to avoid temptation. I encourage you to continue to research WLS and read about other people's experiences as you make your decision. Good luck!

P.S. I agree with the others that I wouldn't start the liquid diet now. For one thing, you usually just do that for a week or two before your surgery. For another, it's pretty awful - I wouldn't do that until/unless I had to! And third, not all surgeons even require it - some just have you do a 24-hour fast before your surgery, which is kind of standard with other types of surgeries. Oh - and even the liquid diets, when required, can vary a lot. Some people are allowed to eat SOME food, like a sensible, low calorie dinner (but protein shakes the rest of the day). And some of us (me included) had to have just shakes plus no (or very low) calorie fluids the whole two weeks. So yea - I'd wait until the time comes.

If you are in the pureed stage, it is common to have very little restriction. Once you get to solids, you will feel it. You will learn about your body's cues to tell when you are close to being satisfied and it will react strongly at one bite too many. Some find it helpful to weigh food beforehand (instead of winging it) to avoid the latter and/or to track calories. I think you are doing good, glad to hear things are going smoothly. I also had a very smooth start. I remember wondering the same thing.

I wouldn't start a liquid diet until they tell you to. The thing is a PITA - the worst part of the whole ordeal, I think. And some surgeons don't even require one (some just have you do water only for 24 hours before surgery). So I'd wait and see what they say. Like someone else said, you could work on lowering your carbs and calories and trying to eat more nutritiously - kind of like you'll be eating once you're a couple months out of surgery and all healed up. That's what my dietitian had me doing, so my change to the "new" eating style didn't seem as radical.

you do have to comply with your clinic's program or you'll eventually regain weight (although a 10-20 lb gain once you hit your lowest weight is very common - and almost expected. I planned for that when I set my goal and went a bit under goal to compensate) that said, I'd never been able to lose weight and keep it off. I was over 200 lbs overweight, and I lost 50 or 60 lbs God knows how many times, only to gain it all back. I got the surgery (in my case, bypass) because if I couldn't even keep off 50 lbs for more than a couple of months, I knew there was no way I could lose and keep off 200 lbs. BUT...this actually worked. I did actually lose all that weight - over 200 lbs. Your stomach will be a lot smaller so you can't take in a ton of food AT ONE SITTING - plus, most people lose their sense of hunger for a few months (up to a year) after the surgery. Having no hunger makes it much easier to lose weight. Once the hunger comes back, though, which is does for most of us, it'll be more of a challenge. You're still not going to be able to eat a ton of food at one sitting, but you might start grazing or eating mindlessly if you're not watching yourself. So that's when you have to really make sure you're continuing to comply with the program. people gain weight back because they stop being compliant and old habits start creeping back in. As before, you still won't be able to eat as much as can now AT ONE SITTING, but if you're snacking all day, yep - you'll be able to take in a lot of calories. The examples I always use is that before I had surgery, I could eat half a large pizza for dinner. No way could I do that now. It would be physically painful. All I can manage is 1-2 pieces. BUT...if I ate 1-2 pieces at 5:00 pm, and another 1-2 pieces at 7:00 pm, and 1-2 pieces 9:00 pm, (which would be easy to do), I'd end up eating half the large pizza. So THAT'S what you need to watch out for. the surgery in and of itself shouldn't exaggerate depression. If you're feeling depressed, though, it'd probably be helpful to work with a therapist. A lot of us do - both for that or to deal with eating issues (unfortunately, as they say, the surgery is on our stomachs, not on our brains). where are you living in NC? I lived there for 10 years. I went to high school in Raleigh and when to college up in the mountains. My brother still lives in NC, so I still get down there occasionally...

Stalls are very common & yes, the first one usually occurs at week 3 though it can be earlier or later than that. They usually last 1-3 weeks too. They’re your body shutting down & taking a time out in reaction to the stress it’s been under (surgery, reduced calorie intake, etc.). Stick to your plan & it will break when your body is ready & the weight loss will start again. Go back to your team & ask for more information. You’re paying them to support you & you have the right to ask for what ever information you need to feel comfortable & confident about this process & what you have to or can do . We all have different needs (what I was told may not be completely right for you) & they should be there for you. Can’t complain about an almost 7kg weight loss in 4 weeks especially with a stall. I’d lost about the same in my first month (& I never really stalled during that time). My surgeon & dietician were very happy. Not sure of your starting weight, but remember those people who lose those large amounts of weight seen in programs like My 600lb Life started at very high weights. And they only lose at that rate in the beginning.

There are a lot of factors that go into weight - hydration, constipation, fat loss vs water loss. It can be extremely frustrating to not see a change on the scale but trust the process! The weight loss is not linear. As for your diet plan - is there someone you can reach out to at the office to answer those questions for you? My surgeon just has protein and hydration goals - no calorie limit. For reference it ended up being about 600-700 calories per day in the soft food stage.

So I haven’t been able to lose any weight since the 2nd week mark of my weight loss journey. I’m 4 weeks out today & ive only lost 6.7kg (1.1 ish stone) I’m feeling so disheartened and don’t know what to do or what I could try. My diet plan from the company I had my surgery with, was awful! I’m not even sure what foods I should and shouldn’t be on. I don’t know how many calories I’m aiming for or capping at…. What exercises are allowed other than walking. I’m just really struggling at this point and I’m not getting decent results, especially compared to those surrounding me! Like seriously it’s turnt my life upside down (which I could live with if the results were decent) and the results aren’t changing. One whole week. My weight loss stood at exactly 6.7kg loss (the exact same to last week.) Any help? Or anyone going through the same!!?

I didn't really have any soreness as@Catwoman7 said. I did, however, feel tired, probably due to lack of calories for the first week or so.

I had the Vertical Gastric Sleeve on January 23rd, and beside a bit of nausea from the anesthesia the first few days I was doing relatively well for the first 2 weeks. That all changed drastically on week 3 and now week 4. I can come nowhere near the amount of protein or liquids or calories my Dr. wants me to consume daily. The reason being that Thursday of week 3 I began having excruciating pain in my lower abdomen and back and it starts within minutes of taking a sip of anything... It feels like someone is taking my mid-section and wringing it out like a wet cloth... It truly will take my breath away when it is happening... I also had to go back from creamy liquids to just clear liquids and that is very disheartening. On the plus side, I don't have any vomiting (YET), but this other pain is truly making my life miserable... I also, have severe pain in my left shoulder and I have seen in other posts that can be from gas that is trapped there... I have had 2 C-sections and numerous other surgeries, including a gallbladder removal in the past and THIS has to be by far the absolute worst pain that I have ever experienced in my life... Also, my Dr. did order labs on Monday of this week (week 4) and a swallow test and that did show that there was a bit of an issue with the angle of my esophagus to my stomach, but he wasn't overly concerned and put me on protonix... Nothing has changed... Is there anyone out there that has had these same symptoms that can possibly give me any hope that this won't last forever? I am literally in tears every night because I am regretting this decision... Even though I have been successful with weight loss so far... What is weight loss if I feel like death??? Any information or advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you.

The first week post op was really hard. I am now two week post op and doing so much better. I’m now able to get my fluids and protein in. I do feel tired because of the reduced calories but every day I focus on increasing my protein which helps. good luck with your surgery.